Machine for gathering stones



'(No Model.)

N. BoTsFoRD. A MAGHINBPOR GATHERING STONES. l

No. 349,685. Patented Sept.v 2.8,` 1886. p

um f m z I UNITED STATES ,PATENT Ormes.

NATHAN BOTSFORD, OF LOCKPORT, NEV YORK.

MACHINE FOR A.GATHERING STONES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,685, datedSeptember 28. 1886. Application filed February 1, 1886. Serial No.190,492. (No model.)

Be it known that I, NATHAN BoTsFoRD, of

Lockport, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Gathering Stones,and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the drawingsaccompanying this application. y

lThe object of my invention is to produce a machine whi ch ,when drivenalong over a field, will pick and load small stones, thereby saving muchlabor and expense.

The invention consists in the following construction and arrangement ofparts.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 2 isalongitudinal vertical, section of the same in line :c x of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a detail view showing the means for ele- \f'ating the teeth.

The machine consists, essentially, of two platforms, A B, the firstconstituting there, ceptacle on which the stones are loaded to be drawnaway, and the latter constituting the elevator by which the stones arecarried up on the main platform.

The main platform A consists of a square or rectangular frame mounted onlow supportingwheels C C, and drawn by thills or a pole, D, to which maybe attached a single or double team. In the bed of this platform arelocated two series of horizontal rollers, E E, l ying close together andcovering the whole surface. These rollers lie crosswise or at rightangles to the direct-ion Iofthe machine in motion.

The elevatingplatform B consists of a frame with side pieces pivoted atthe rear to upright 'standards a a, which rise from the front crosspieceof the main platform, by which means the elevating:platform can beraised from the ground at the front end,when desired, by any suitablearrangement of lever-work. This elevating-platform stands at an incline,as shown, so that its front end comes near to the surface 0f the ground.

G G are a series of cross-rollers in the bed of the elevating-platform,and H is au endless apron, passing over these rollers and arounddriving-rollers c d at the ends. The endless apron may consist of a bandof leather or other exible material, provided with cross-slats; or

l it may be made of lags, hinged together like the endless platform of atread horse-power.

The stones, as they are picked up in front, are thrown over onto theendless apron and carried up and dropped onto the rollers of the mainplatform, where stands an operator who slides them back over the rollersof the main platform to the rear. The sides of the main, plat-form areboxed to hold a proper load.

I I are driving traction-wheels at the front of the elevating-platform,the same turning loosely on the ends of the' bent axle K. The front ofthe platform is attached to the bend of the axle, by which means it isbrought down near to the ground and is held stifiiy in place.

ff are standards rising from the front corners of theelevating-platform, and stayed at their tops by rods g g, extending tothe standards a a ofthe main platform.

h h are spur-gear wheels attach ed fast to the driving-wheels I I andrevolving with them.

are spur-pinions, with which the gearwheels h l1I engage. i

'It k are sprocket-wheels fast to the pinions i' i', and ZZ are similarsprockets on the ends of the sha-ft of roller c, by which the endlessapron is driven.

m m are drive-chains connecting the sprocketwheels, by which motion isimparted from the driving-wheels through the medium of the gearsdescribed.

The sizes of the gear-wheels and sprocketwheels are so proportioned thatthe endless apron will run fast enough to correspond with the forwardmotion of the machine and carry up the stone without impediment.

L is an angle-iron in front,l pivoted at p at the ends, and forming thebearing to the teeth or fingers r i', that pass just below the surfaceof the ground and scoop up the stones. The stones pass up over thefingers, the dirt being sifted out, and drop onto the endless apron. Thelower ange, s, of the angle-iron rests against the bent axle, whichholds'itstifliy in place, while the upper flange serves as theattachment for the teeth.

u is a cord, chain, or other connection attached to the outer edge ofthe angle-iron, thence extending up over-pulleys on the stand ardsf a toa point where it can'` be seized and rooV operated from the mainplatform. By drawallows the stones to roll back easily.

ing on this cord at any time the angle-iron will be turned upon its axisand the iingers will be elevated, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 8,Whichis necessary in driving to the eld,'in turning corners, and sometimes inpassing over obstructions. In addition to this, the whole frontelevating-platform, with the paris atfached, can at any time be turnedup, as before described.

By the machine above described loose stones can be readily picked fromthe ground by the forward motion ofthe machine, elevated, and depositedon the rear platform, and there the Work of running them back andpacking them is greatly facilitated by the roller-bottom,which platformmay be made somewhat lower at the rear than the front end ,to facilitatethe Work.

In addition to its use as a stone-gatherer, the machine may be easilyconverted into a eldroller. To do this the front elevatingplatforln isremoved entirely and a series of the wheels C C may be strung on thefront axle of i'he main platform, or on both front and rear axles, ifdesired, making a continuous roller. In such case, when desired, theplatform can be loaded to add extra weight.

Having described my invention, WhatI claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a machine for gathering stones, the combination of a main platformprovided with a continuous roller-bottom, an inclined elevat- The main,

ing-platform provided with an endless apron or lags, and a set of teethor fingers in front,

which are capable of being turned up and down, as shown and described,and for the purpose specified.

2. In a machine for gathering stones, the

combination of the main platforinwith a rollerbottoni, the inclinedelevating-platform provided With an endless apron or lags, the pivotedangle-iron provided with teeth or fingers, the driving-wheels at thefront of the elevatingplatform, the two gear-wheels, the sprocketwheels,and the drive-chai ns for giving motion to the endless apron, as shownand described, and for the purpose specified.

3. In a machine for gathering stones, the combination,with the mainplatform provided with rollers and the elevating-platform provided Withan endless apron or lags, of' an angle-iron pivoted in front of theelevating-platform, teeth or fingers attached tothe angle iron, and acord or chain connected with the angle-iron and extending back withinreach of the operator on the main platform,whereby said teeth or fingersmay be elevated, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

NATHAN BOTSFORD.

IVitnesses:

R. F. Oscoop, Z. L. DAvIs.

